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June 19, 1956 E, 3, LA CASSE 2,750,823

P I PE BENDER W ITH INTERCHANGEABLE P I PEI-RECE I VING MEMBERS Original Filed Dec. 9, 1948 IS Sheets-Sheet 1 E dward Char/es LaGasse INVENTOR.

June 19, 1956 E. c. LA CASSE 2,750,823

RECEIVING MEM BERS PIPE BENDER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE PIPE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original Filed Dec. 9, 1948 Edward Char/es La Oasse INVENTOR.

June 19, 1956 E. c. LA CASSE 2,750,823

PIPE BENDER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE PIPE-RECEIVING MEMBERS Original Filed Dec. 9, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Edward Char/es La Casse 74 INVENTOR.

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r r 2,750,823 Ice Patented June 19, 1956 PIPE BENDER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE PIPE-RECEIVING MEMBERS Edward C. La Casse, Vallejo, Calif.

Substituted for application Serial No. 64,332, December 9, 1948. This application March 22, 1954, Serial No. 417,734

7 Claims. (Cl. 81-15) This is a substitute for forfeited and abandoned application No. 64,332, filed December 9, 1948.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in pipe bending tools and the primary object of the present invention is to provide a pipe bender including a base having a lever receiving socket, a body member adapted to receive a pipe that is to be bent or twisted and novel and improved means for detachably securing the body member to the base so that the same base may be utilized with body members that are designed for use with various sizes of pipes.

Another important object of the present invention is to provide a pipe bending tool for electricians, plumbers or the like including a body member having a pipe receiving channel and embodying novel and improved means for retaining a pipe relative to the body member and positioned in the channel.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pipe bender including a base or shank portion and a body member which is quickly and readily applied to or removed from the base in a convenient manner.

A still further aim of the present invention is to provide a pipe bender that is simple and practical in construction, strong and reliable in use, small and compact in structure, neat and attractive in appearance, efficient and durable in operation, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like nurnerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the present invention, and showing the same in use;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the present pipe bending tool;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the base or shank portion used in conjunction with the present pipe bender;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the body member used in conjunction with the present invention;

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one end of the body members;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the plane of section line 7--7 of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a side elevational view of the present pipe bender in slightly modified form; and,

Figure 9 is an enlarged side elevational view of the base or shank portion of the present invention illustrated in Figure 8, and with parts thereof broken away for the convenience of explanation.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration, there is disclosed a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the numeral 10 represents the base or shank portion of the present tool generally, including a substantially flat, segmental plate 12 having an arcuate outer edge 14 and a substantially straight end edge 16.

The plate 12 is provided with a suitable number of openings 18 that will reduce the Weight of the same without affecting the strength or durability of the said plate.

Fixed to or forming an integral part of the plate 12, is a socket or sleeve 20 that will receive a suitable lever. It is preferred that the sleeve 26 be provided with external threads 22 for receivably engaging the internal threaded end 24 of a tubular lever or handle 26.

A lateral projection 28 extends from the plate 12 adjacent the edge 16 and consists of a pair of lugs or abutments 30 that project outwardly from the side faces of the plate 12 for a purpose which will later be more fully apparent.

A longitudinal reinforcing rib 32 is preferably integrally formed with the upper edge 33 of the plate 12 and includes end portions 34 that terminate adjacent the arcuate edge 14 of the plate 12.

The numeral 36 represents the body member that is used in conjunction wtih the present invention generally. This member 36 includes an elongated and arcuate portion 38 having an outer, arcuate, concaved channel or groove 40 that conforms to the periphery of a pipe section, such as the pipe section 42 shown in Figure 1, and an inner,

arcuate channel or groove 44 that receives the outer arcuate edge 14 of the plate 12.

Rising from the arcuate portion 38 at substantially the center thereof, is a pair of spaced ears 46 in which are mounted releasable locking means that project into plate 12 of base 10 for securing the lower edge of the base plate in arcuate channel 44. As may be noted, spaced ears 46 are provided with inner threaded apertures 48 having reduced inner ends 50. Caps 52 receivably engage the apertures 48 and house coil springs 54 that urge balls or spherical elements 56, mounted in the ends 50 of the apertures 48, partially from the ears and into ball seats or recesses 58 provided in the side faces of the plate 12.

The outer ends of the caps 52 are formed with kerfs 60 that receive a suitable tool for adjusting the caps in the apertures 48 in order to adjust the spring tension acting on the balls 56.

Rigidly secured to or forming an integral part of the arcuate portion 38, at one end thereof, is a hook member or loop 62 that is provided with a reinforcing web or rib 64 to prevent shearing ofl of the hook member when the same is in use. This hook member is adapted to embrace the pipe section 42 to retain the said pipe section relative to the body member 36 and in the groove 40 during the bending of the pipe section as shown in Figure 1.

Integrally formed with and rising from the arcuate portion 38, adjacent the hook member 62, is a vertical wall or fin 66 having an enlarged upper portion 68 the undersurface of which is notched so that the same forms a hook that engages the extension 28 or more particularly the lugs 30, it being understood that a notch 70 is provided in the enlarged upper portion 68 for receiving the upper edge 33 of the plate 12.

It should be noted, that the ends 34 of the ribs 32 bear against the upper surface of the arcuate portion 38 and thereby function as stops that prevent endwise movement of the plate 12 relative to the body member 36 when the instant tool is in operation and which also cooperates with the locking balls 56 and hook member or portion 68 in retaining the base 10 relative to the body member 36.

Reference is now directed to Figures 8 and 9, wherein there is disclosed the means for locking the base to the body member in slightly modified form.

In this embodiment, the same numerals refer to the same parts as noted in Figures l7 inclusive since the body member and base are similar with the exception of the locking means.

A substantially vertical bore or blind recess 72 is provided in the central portion of the base 10 and slidably receives a locking pin or cylindrical member 74 having a reduced upper end 76 that is received in a reduced upper end 78 of the recess 72.

' A coil spring 80 embraces the reduced upper end '78 of the locking pin 74 and normally urges a portion of the locking pin from the plate 12.

'Detachably secured to the locking pin 74, by a threaded connection or the like, is a laterally projecting arm 82 that is slidably mounted in a slot 84 provided in the plate 12 in communication with recess 72.

The arcuate portion 38 is also provided with a recess or depression 86 that will receive the pin 74 to retain the body member 36 locked to the base 10.

Obviously, the base 10 is adapted to be used with a body member having channels 40 of various sizes which are applied to or removed from the base 10 in a convenient manner.

Although the arcuate member or portion 38 has been illustrated as having a particular radius many suitable radii could be incorporated in the portions 38 without deviating from the scope of the instant invention.

In practical use of the present invention, the base or more particularly the plate 12 is slid into the channels 44 from the open end thereof until the portion 68 engages the projections 30 and the locking means is ensex A pipe section is then slipped into the channel 40 and iaembraced by the hook member 62 so that as lever 26 is forced downwardly and to the left as shown in Figure 1 the pipe section will be bent to conform the curvature of the arcuate portion 38.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings it is believed that aclear understanding of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary.

It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described and the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A pipe bender comprising a base having a socket and an outer arcuate edge, an arcuate body member having inner and outer channels, said inner channel extending from one end of the member past the central part of said member, said outer arcuate edge of said base being received in the inner channel, said outer channel forming a pipe seat, means locking said base to said body member, and means for retaining a pipe in the pipe seat formed by said outer channel.

2. -A pipe bender comprising abase having a lower arcuate edge, an upper edge, a lateral projection at one end and a reinforcing rib on said upper edge and overhanging the latter, an arcuate body member having upper and lower channels, the lower edge of said base being received in said upper channel, said rib having-an end abutting said body member, interconnecting means between said body member and said base retaining the body member engaged with the base, a rigid hook integrally formed with the body member engaging said 'lateral'projection and having a notch receiving said upper edge adjacent said projection, and a hook member permanently secured to one end of said body member for retaining a pipe in the lower channel.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said upper channel extends at least one-half the length of said body member, said lower edge of said base extending throughout the length of said upper channel, a slidable locking pin carried by the base and projecting outwardly beyond the lower edge of said base, and a spring acting on said pin and urging the pin from the lower edge of said base, said upper channel having a recess therein accommodating the pin.

4. A pipe bender comprising a lever, an elongate base member centrally coupled to said lever, an elongate body member formed with an outer arcuate edge having a pipereceiving channel and with a hook for gripping said pipe and holding it in the outer channel, and means for detachably interconnecting said members, said interconnecting means including a longitudinally-extending tongue formed along substantially the full length of the mating edge of one of said members and a groove formed in the other of said members, said outer pipe-receiving channel being formed on said body member at an outwardly-spaced disposition from said tongue and groove interconnecting means, and said interconnecting means further including means for maintaining said tongue and groove interconnection during a pipe-bending operation.

5. A pipe bender comprising a lever, an elongate base member centrally coupled to said lever, an elongate body member formed with an outer arcuate edge having a pipe-receiving channel and with a hook for gripping said pipe and holding it in the outer channel, and means for detachably interconnecting said members, said interconnecting means including a longitudinally-extending tongue formed along substantially the full length of the mating edge of one of said members and a groove formed in the other of said members, said outer pipe-receiving channel being formed on said body member at an outwardly-spaced disposition from said tongue and groove interconnecting means, and said interconnecting means further including releasable locking means projecting from one of said members into the other, and a clamping arm carried by said body member in position for fitting over and engaging said base member for maintaining said tongue and groove interconnection during a pipebending operation.

6. A pipe bender comprising a base having a lower arcuate edge and a lateral projection at one end, an arcuate body member having upper and lower channels, the lower edge of said base being received in said upper channel, releasable locking means securing said lower edge of said base in said upper channel, means carried by said body member engaging said lateral projection to aid in retaining the base engaged with the body member, and a hook member rigidly and permanently attached to one end of said body member for retaining a pipe in the lower channel.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said base includes an upper edge disposed at right angles to said projection, said means engaging said projection including a rigid hook having a notch receiving the upper edge of said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 280,862 Reach July 10, 1883 1,247,729 Scribner Nov. 27, 1917 1,572,142 Hood Feb. 9, 1926 1,685,503 Pfauser Sept. 25, 1928 2,233,292 Lewin Feb. 25, 1941 2,584,537 Benfield Feb. 5, 1952 

